Wartime Churchill Pitcher – Copeland/Spode, 1941 – U.S. Market Variant
Issued under wartime restrictions in 1941, this distinctive pitcher by Copeland/Spode stands as a remarkable piece of wartime Churchilliana. Produced for the American market, it bears two of Churchill’s most iconic wartime speeches and is steeped in the transatlantic symbolism of Anglo-American unity in the face of global conflict.
On one side: A finely rendered portrait of Winston Churchill in relief, flanked by a battleship, a tank, and a fighter plane overhead. Arched above the image, the rallying cry from his May 13, 1940 speech: “All I can offer is blood, toil, tears, and sweat.” Below, a ribbon carries his stirring August 20, 1940 tribute to the RAF: “Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.”
The reverse side (Pattern F448) features a bulldog straddling a Union Jack atop a globe, with the British Empire rendered in bold relief. Below, a quote from President Roosevelt's February 1941 speech to Congress, drawn from Longfellow:
“Sail on, O Ship of State! Sail on, O Union strong and great…”
Churchill’s response — “Give us the tools and we will finish the job” — appears above the globe, affirming the wartime partnership between Britain and the United States.
This version was made specifically for the U.S. market and is marked on the bottom with:
COPELAND / U.S.A. Design / Patent Pending. Measuring 6.5" high with a 4" diameter opening and 8" from spout to handle, it is substantial in form yet intimate in sentiment.
The interior is clean; the exterior shows expected allover crazing and a few minor stains, with no chips or cracks. The original design for the UK featured crossed flags — British and American — but for the U.S. audience, this was replaced with the bulldog-on-Empire motif. A design choice that, while patriotic, underscored Britain’s global reach in a way that may have struck a chord with both allies and skeptics alike.